Troy Police to review public event security procedures

TROY -- The recent bombings at the Boston Marathon have led local law enforcement groups to rethink their security plans for public events here, according to public safety officials.

Troy Police Commissioner Anthony Magnetto said police are currently organizing a summit of sorts that will include public safety and law enforcement agencies on the local, state, and federal level.

"With the recent attacks in Boston, we're re-examining what we're going to do with our events," Magnetto said. "We have a Homeland Security team, made up of Troy Police officers who work with the New York State Homeland Security Agency, and we've been talking about it already,"

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Troy's Victorian Stroll, the Turkey Trot and the city's Flag Day parade are on Magnetto's list of events whose security procedures are up for review, along with any other large public gathering.

Magnetto said New York State Police Troop G is the counterterrorism unit responsible for the region.

"We have a team whose job it is to serve at as a liaison with Troop G's counterterrorism unit, and our own Captain Owens deals with them," Magnetto said.

Troop G's Commanding Officer Major Steven James said his counter-terrorism unit communicates regularly with local law enforcement agencies.

"We meet regularly anyway," James said, "to see what has been transpiring, how we need to maybe change and or redeploy resources."

James did say law enforcement officials on Friday had considered whether events in Watertown, Mass., might require State Police to mobilize and monitor traffic into New York state should an inter-state pursuit of the still-at-large bombing suspect become a reality.

"There's nothing else case specific that we would put out at this time," James said.

The multi-agency effort to boost security at public events is for James a routine procedure.

"Really it's just the utilization of the resources that we have today," he said. "We would just be redeploying them in a different way."

Some of the security procedures already in place at events include the use of K-9 units from both the State Police and the Troy Police Department.

According to Magnetto, State Police K-9 units have already been used at events in the past.

"We have three of our own," Magnetto said. "Two are explosives-sensitive dogs."

In addition to Fire Department EMS units, the Capital District Regional Forensic HAZMAT team will be used.

"They're a HAZMAT team that's trained in the collection of evidence," Magnetto explained. "It's more forensics-oriented."

Several Troy Police Department members are assigned to that team.

One man with a special interest in road race security expressed his gratitude to Troy's police commissioner for taking the time to review public event protocols.

George Regan, chair of the event committee for USA Track and Field's Adirondack Region, was glad to hear about the effort to revise security procedures.

Regan is in charge of organizing Troy's Turkey Trot and the Friehofer's Run in Albany, two events that present similar security challenges as the Boston Marathon.

"Obviously any event manager is concerned for the safety and the participants at an event," Regan said. "We rely on the public safety departments to help us, as they're the ones with the assets that can get this done for us."

Regan, who has been organizing events for the past 35 years, said current safety protocols involve all public safety agencies: police departments, homeland security, and EMS.

"I'm really happy to hear that they're planning to update their procedures," Regan said. "That's welcome news. This is good for me to hear. It's always our top awareness, to protect the safety of our participants and spectators."